Category: Worship

Adeola Ogunlade

 

Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh has joined Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as well as Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to kick against the proposed tax on Christian marriages by the federal government.

He slammed Interior Minister, Raufu Aregbesola, for the move, declaring that the former Osun Governor does not wish Christians in the country.

Okoh spoke last week during Centenary anniversary and Eucharist thanksgiving service of the Diocese of Lagos.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Centenary Grand Patron Lt Gen. Theophilus Danjuma as well as 81 bishops, 76 archdeacons witnessed the service.

Okoh wondered why the minister focused attention on Christian marriages alone, adding that other religious sects also conduct marriages without the proposed tax.

The cleric said the proposed tax will be a burden to people of marriageable age and even deter some of them from entering the institution.

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He said: “My belief, which I also think is the wish of many well- wishers, is that people who go into marriage should be encouraged and not be burdened because they are going into a new life.”

He wondered what led to the minister’s coming out with such an unfriendly pronouncement and stated he was taking advantage of the simplicity of Christians saying maintained they remain undivided on the stand of CAN and PFN.

He also called on Aregbesola in the name of peace to immediately retrace his steps and continue to vote for the unity of the country.

The Bishop of Lagos and Missioner, Anglican Communion, the Rt. Rev. Humphrey Olumakaiye also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to listen more to the people. He said, “Leaders should be interested in the masses and not just themselves as they are called to serve.”

The Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN) has admonished women to embrace righteous living for spiritual, physical and financially wellbeing.

This was the highlight of a communiqué after the annual residential award of excellence and conference hosted by the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Women And Children Department, Lagos State Chapter recently.

The group’s chairperson, Ambassador (Mrs.) Elizabeth Onojobi encouraged Christian women to stay in line with God’s words and represent Christ well wherever they go.

Mother-In-Israel, Ngozi Onyeleonu, who spoke on the conference’s theme, ‘Living by faith,’ declared that Christian women will be able to do great exploit in life by faith.

Reeling the steps to take in doing exploits, she encouraged women to identify who they are in Christ, think positively, speak positively, follow after the Zarepheth widow in giving generously and being courageous in taking bold steps.

She also encouraged women to avoid compromising God’s standard, shun worry and worry companies.

In his paper on prevention of breast cancer, Dr. Adegboyega Oke, advised women to visit the hospital for screening, engage themselves in self- breast examination, daily body exercise, maintain healthy weight and eat healthy.

Mrs. Rose Ogechi, another speaker, took the women on general health talk laying emphasis on well- being, balanced diet as well as the need for major health supplements.

Awards of excellence were given to 13 mothers who have distinguished themselves in various areas of their endeavours and imparted immensely to the development of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the country at large.

Dr. David Oyedepo

 

Welcome to another impactful week! I hope you were blessed by last week teaching. Today, we shall focus on: Engaging the Wonders of Godliness!

From scriptures, we discover that the choice of godliness is the wisest choice any man can ever make. As it is written, For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (1 Timothy 4:8). However, as precious as this virtue is, it delivers on every man’s choice (Deuteronomy 30:19; Romans 6:23). It is important to understand that until we make the choice of godliness, we cannot live a godly life. Before Christ paid the price for our sins, people who made that choice were distinguished. For instance, Joseph chose righteousness even when sin had a legal hold on humanity and he triumphed. Daniel also made a heart-rooted choice against defilement and he prevailed. Paul said, ‘For me to live is Christ and to die is gain’ (Genesis 39:9; Daniel 1:8, 6:5; Philippians 1:21). Let’s recognise that godliness, which is vital to the outcome of our lives, has been paid for but until the choice is made, it remains a daydream (1 Peter 1:16; Matthew 5:48; 1 Corinthians 6:20). However, if we do not know the nature of sin, we may become victims of its evil vices.

Benefit of Godliness

• It empowers us for exploits through access to divine wisdom: The word ‘Exploits’ connotes unusual accomplishment or extraordinary feats and at the root of every exploit is godliness. We understand from scriptures that heaven’s wisdom is domiciled in the holiest of all, but we cannot access it without godliness. Remember, the fear of the Lord (godliness) is the beginning of wisdom and the wisdom of God manifests itself through mighty works (Psalm 1:1-5, 24:3-5; Hebrews 9:1-4; Proverbs 9:10; Job 28:28; Matthew 13:54). No wonder all men of exploits in scriptures were people who embraced godliness and had access to God’s wisdom. For instance, Job was a man that feared God and eschewed evil and he became the greatest businessman through divine secrets. Joseph was a man that feared God and he commanded exploits through divine wisdom. Daniel took a stance against defilement and he prevailed through divine wisdom (Job 1:1-3; Genesis 39:9, 41:38-44; Daniel 1:8, 17, 21, 5:11). Furthermore, the revelation of the truth and the knowledge of God is a function of our godliness. We can never know God beyond the fear of God at work in our lives because the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant. That is why every ungodly man is limited in the knowledge of God because the words of scriptures are mere stories to him. Therefore, only the redeemed have access to the mysteries of the Word and it is by these mysteries that we command dominion (Psalm 25:14; Mark 4:11; Revelation 22:15).

Nature of Sin

• Sin is forceful: The Bible says, With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him (Proverbs 7:21). Just like the Spirit of God drives people, unclean spirits also drive people (Mark 1:12). This is why we must constantly engage the relevant spiritual forces against the force of iniquity for victory (Matthew 11:12).
• Sin is domineering: It exercises dominion on its victims. For instance, the men of Sodom were the most abominable of all men in their days. Sin wants us to yield to its control. This is why we must stay on guard; otherwise, it will force us into subjection thereby making us totally helpless.
• Sin is coercive: Sin doesn’t give up until it achieves its goal. When Delilah asked Samson about the source of his strength (Judges 16:16-19). We must understand that sin pressurises its victims and makes them lose every means of resistance.
• Sin is compelling: We understand from scriptures that Potiphar’s wife pressurised Joseph to lie with her daily, but he refused. As a result, he became a global hero instead of a domestic servant (Genesis 39:7-12).

However, to break the power of sin, we must:

• •Engage the power of the tongue: As it is written, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21). In this scripture, sin equals death and righteousness equals life. That means sin and righteousness are in the power of our tongue. Every child of God has an empowered tongue that guarantees victory in the battles of life (James 3:6). Likewise, our victory over sin is impossible with a closed mouth. There is power in our tongues to ward off every force of hell that may want to enforce unrighteousness and defilement on our lives. As anointed as Christ was, with a closed mouth, He was afflicted and oppressed (Isaiah 53:7-8). However, when Judas betrayed Him and He was to be arrested by the guards, He asked, …Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground (John 18:4-6). Our victory against the devil and over sin is domiciled in our tongue. That means we must speak loud against sin and lust, because God will not confirm what we don’t declare. Moreover, what we don’t resist has the right to remain; but when we resist the devil, he will flee from us (Matthew 8:16, 16:23; Psalm 81:10-14; James 4:7; Ephesians 4:27). We must understand that what we don’t confront, we cannot conquer (Mark 11:23; Luke 21:15).

In conclusion, the giants of this end-time will rise on the platform of godliness. Remember, godliness is not a gift, but a choice and each one’s choice determine the outcome of his/her life. It may be costly, but the end result is priceless. However, you must be born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again! For further reading, please get my books: Walking in the Newness of Life, Conquering Controlling Powers and The Blood Triumph. I invite you to fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280, or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org, Facebook: David Oyedepo Ministries International, Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin.

The all-night 12th annual international convention of the God’s Royal Ambassadors Ministry International (AKA) Seeds of Righteousness with the theme  ‘unforgettable God will do mighty things’ holds today from 10pm.

The convener, Evangelist Mary Dike, said the convention is specially designed for those who are been cheated, maltreated, disappointed and witnessed undue delay on projects.

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The venue is Church international headquarters 70, Owulade Avenue Irawo bus –stop, Owode, Lagos.

Sunday Oguntola

 

Christians need to add strategic knowledge to fasting and prayers to become productive and nations for Christ.

This was the consensus at the just-concluded Kingdom Life World Conference of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) with the theme “Love that passes knowledge”.

Speakers after speakers challenged Christians to maximise their living by going after transformative knowledge based on the scriptures to enhance humanity.

Founder of Kingway International Christian Church (KICC) London, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, who opened the one-week conference with a well-received sermon titled “Then came Jesus” said situations of life must give in once Jesus has been introduced to the mix.

She encouraged participants not to take anything for granted but invite Jesus to everything facing them, assuring He will turn their cases to testimonies.

Taking one of the teaching sessions titled “the difference between the wealthy and the poor,” Ashimolowo pointed out the rich don’t spend on frivolities but acquire assets that will in turn fund their needs.

The poor, on the other hand, he said are always under pressure to meet their wants, thereby passing off the opportunities to beat the poverty trap.

Bishop Mensah Otabil from Ghana taught on the “The power of a demanded offering,” urging believers to give sacrificially.

He said nobody gives to God without overflowing testimonies, pointing to Genesis 15: 1-4.

Bishop Tudor Bismark from Zimbabwe emphasised the importance of peace in life. He said inner peace is the best form of peace, which only Jesus can give.

Ministering on “An answer of peace,” Bismark said true will experience the peace of God regardless of the fiercest storms that face them.

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Bishop Wayne Malcolm from the United Kingdom, who taught on “Loving your city,” encouraged Nigerians to stay back and contribute to the growth of the nation.

Referring to Genesis 11: 1-6, he said Christians should pray and work for the progress of the nation as against the ongoing rush to relocate abroad in search of the proverbial greener pasture.

Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of The Fountain of Life Church Lagos, preached on “God is a mystery”. He said the mysteries of God are however revealed to those who seek and dwell in Him.

The conference, in its 30th edition, according to General Overseer of TREM, Dr Mike Okonkwo has become a platform for enriching interface between God and destiny-chasing Christians.

It was spiced with song ministrations, especially the Zamar night, which was a praise and worship vigil.

Acts such as Nathaniel Bassey, Freke Umoh, Oluwalonibisi, Emeka Jonathan, Jerry Sax, Minister Dezaya and others lifted participants with danceable songs.

Choirs drawn from branches of the church worldwide also added colour to the conference. Resplendent in the special Ankara fabric to mark the 30th anniversary, they dished out songs composed to reflect the theme of the conference.

Okonkwo, who rounded-off the conference, explained God’s unfailing love for His children, asking participants to be rest-assured in it.

He declared Exceeding glory as the theme for the next conference to wide applause from thousands gathered for the conference.

 

 

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Prophet Bisi Olujobi is the General Overseer of Wisdom Church, which started about three decades ago. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde he talks about life in the Ministry, achievement, inspiring young people and the annual 21 days program that would be on till January 14th which coincides with his birthday

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How is the Ministry going?

We thank God for everything. Since we started, God has been a great influence and He is still helping us with abundant Grace over our lives. We give Him all the glory.

How many years have you been in the Ministry?

For the Lagos branch, the church is about fifteen years. We started the church in Ibadan in 1990 and it is about 30 years now. We have also established a new church in Abuja and there are other branches.

What are the programs and activities that you are currently working on?

We have just concluded a special program which is our yearly program last month tagged ‘Divine Intervention’. It is an annual program and since we have been doing it, the Lord has been doing wonders, healing and blessing people in different ways. We are currently working on our 21 days prayer and fasting into the New Year which starts towards the end of this year and ends on 14th January which interestingly falls on my birthday. We thank God for his promises over our lives, the church and the country.

Talking above divine intervention, the nation needs this at this time. What message do you have for Nigerians?

I would say that we should all let God intervene because what is going on now is beyond human understanding and capacity. Unfortunately, those we chose as leaders whom we thought can assist us to make things better are doing the opposite.

The only way out is for God to take total control. It is only God that can take charge, bless us and change the fortunes of our nation.

When God makes a promise, He would chose human beings to carry it out.

If you look at the book of kings, there are some kings that the scripture said they did well and God blessed them because of this. Also there were some kings in the Bible who did bad and terrible things and God rejected them.

We are not saying that God would not intervene, He actually has His plans for us. He will make available blessings in different ways and in different places. However, I must say that our leaders are not helping matters. Instead, they are mismanaging the things that God has provided for us. That is why we all need God’s Intervention, He would certainly put the right people in place and they would lead us to the promised land.

A lot of young people are frustrated; some of them are committing suicide. What advice do you have for them?

I will tell all those attempting to commit suicide to put their trust upon the Lord. It is only God that can make things happen. I also believe that the reason you see them committing suicide is because they depend so much on government and have great expectations. Many believe that things would work out if they put in more efforts. Unfortunately, things are not working according to their personal plans. If you look at what is happening in Nigeria today, it is tough for many. However, we should not base our hope on the things that we see around us. If people look at what is happening, many would make mistakes. The best thing for those who are frustrated and want to commit suicide is to place their trust in God.

The Bible says cast your burden upon Him , for He cares for you .When you cast your burden upon the Lord, automatically God will take care of your problems. They should also believe that tomorrow will speak for them.

Apart from government, God has plans for everyone. If you go through the Bible, we see people that passed through some problems but at the end God delivered them. They should therefore cast their hope upon the Lord. He is there to bless them, one by one.

Also, I would tell them that they should not compare their lives with other people. This is one aspect that makes a lot of people to make mistakes.

Sometimes, you see Mr. A jumping and making it. When Mr. B tries to do the same thing, he jumps and breaks his leg. That is why we should not compare ourselves with anybody. We should focus on the Lord and believe in Him. He would surely do the right thing at the right time.

Let’s go back to when you started the Ministry. How was it at the beginning?

When we started the Ministry things weren’t like this. At that point, people always put their mind on the things of God, they were more spiritual, not money conscious. These days, majority are running after money. Then we preached  about  salvation, heavenly bound Christians and people listened. They were enthusiastic and focused. Also the government then made adequate provision for the people and there was work. But now if you tell people that this is the way of salvation, they would listen to you but the big question is what are they going to eat. This is why things are different now. Any pastor that wants to preach and does not mention their problem, they may not listen. So, when you address their problems and tell them about the kingdom, they show interest. Unfortunately, some preachers now focus on the problems and do not bother to talk about the kingdom of God anymore.

I believe that God would intervene in the church and the nation as a whole. Not only in this country but, all over the world to make things better.

Recently, I saw some preachers on Facebook and TV performing miracle as if it was a drama scene. If you take a deep look, you will see that they are doing it in order to cajole people and get money from them. That is the problem and so you cannot compare what we have now with the past.

Then there was genuine preaching. Although we still have genuine preaching, another big question is that are the people ready to listen to such messages.

What advice and programs do you have for young people?

What we are doing is to let them know the truth, at the same time, to give them courage and to let them know that the future would be better. I believe in the younger generation and I know that when the time comes, God will make them achievers. One major thing is to let them know the truth. They also need to give themselves to God and I pray that He will give them the actual blessings that will make their lives prosperous. We also pray for them and guide them in the area of marriage. This is one area that needs a lot of attention and many are making mistakes especially young couples. This is because of all the things going on in the name of survival. I pray that God would touch the younger generation.

Let’s talk about the memorable moments in the Ministry?

The only thing that makes me happy is God. It is only God because you cannot emulate anyone with what is going on now. Just believe in God only. If you go to the source of those people, you won’t believe what is going on. I must say that what really makes me happy is music, particularly when I am in God’s presence. It is only God that can make a Man of God happy. The past, present and future, everything is in God’s hands.

Are there challenges?

Definitely,the more the Ministry is growing, the more the challenges. There is no way you would not come across challenges, that is a normal thing. If anyone goes through challenges, you should not see it as condemnation, or derail from the sight of God. Instead, just continue the race and God will make everything well in HIS own time. Everything is in the hands of God. I pray that God will give all of us peace in Jesus name.

Primate-Elect of African Church, Most Rev. Julius Abbe, has advised political leaders to govern well by making the country a better place for citizens.

Abbe spoke at the maiden edition of a programme tagged ‘Celebrating the King of Kings’ organised by the Youth Christian Fellowship of the African Church Cathedral Salem in Ebutte, Metta, Lagos.

He said: “They should not be thinking of themselves alone but should also be concerned about the plight of the masses who they lead, by making sure that all is well with the citizens.”

He also implored Nigerians not to be disturbed or worried with the current economic situation, noting things will get better with prayers.

Abbe also commended members of the fellowship for their steadfastness and dedication to the things of God.

Chairman of YCF, Asiwaju Gbemiga Oludemi, said the event marked another positive achievement in the history of the society which was founded in 1953.

According to him, the society was founded on solid bible teachings and discipline among members.

Oludemi said the society, under his leadership, decided to institute the annual event where all members and non-members would meet and celebrate the King of kings for His blessings and protection throughout the year.

One of the founding members of the society, Basorun Patrick Sholola, commended the leadership of the society for instituting the annual event among other programmes to celebrate Jesus Christ, the head of the church.

Sholola, who was also among the several members honoured at the event, said the society since inception has been noted for its discipline and sound bible teachings.

“I’m most glad that it has not deviated from these principles despite the many challenges in the church and the society in general,” he added.

Chairperson of the female wing of the Christian Youth Fellowship, African Church Cathedral Salem, Sis. Jumoke Oderinde, advised members not to lose the objectives of the society and essence of the event which is primarily to celebrate Jesus Christ.

Other award recipients include the Lay President, The African Church, Chief Babatunde Adewale Odufuwa;  YCF Trustees Chief J.O. Soretire; YCF Patron, Prince (Dr) Adelaja Omofade; Otunba Olu Senbore, Chief B.A. Adesola and Mr. Isaac Taiwo Ogunbode, trustees ACCS.

Others are the cathedral people’s warden, Engr. Adekunle Olu Sogbesan; Mr Gbenga Oludemi, chairman, YCF and Sis. Jumoke Apinke Oderinde, chairperson, YCF Female Wing.